Books for Teaching About Colonial America and Interdependence

This book answers many questions that young children have about living and working in Colonial Times. It's really too long for a class read-along, but it has a very complete table of contents, so that students can pick the sections they wish to read.

Colonial Times 1600-1700
by Joy Masoff

This book has great photographs and puts the child right in the middle of the century. It's full of all types of interesting information in short titled paragraphs. This is one of our favorites for sharing with the whole class.

Colonial America
by Mary Kay Carson

This is a thematic unit (developed with Colonial Williamsburg) that has oodles of activities that you can use in any study of Colonial America. It even has a map of Williamsburg and tons of photos. We love this book!

Don't Know Much About Pilgrims
by Kenneth C. Davis.

This is an extremely informative book and can be a read-aloud. While it deals specifically with the Pilgrims and not with all of Colonial America, the information is directly applicable.

Colonial Crafts
by Bobbie Kalman

This is easy to read, well organized, and has short descriptions of various trades along with wonderful colored pictures. It's a great resource for the children's research, particularly lower level readers.

Colonial Times From A To Z
by Bobbie Kalman

This is a fun alphabet book, with each letter revealing an interesting aspect of colonial life.

Historic Communities: Colonial Life
by Bobbie Kalman

Once again, a lot of interesting information in a quick format with loads of photographs about colonial life. Good for a general background of the times.

Katie's Trunk
by Ann Warren Turner

This is a touching story told from the point of view of a young Tory girl describing what it is like to have to hide from one's own neighbors. Hidden in the bottom of her mother's wedding dress trunk while a mob is tearing up the house, the girl is discovered by a neighbor who shows compassion and saves her life. This is a novel point of view (since usually it is the Patriots who are favored in American books) and leads up to he American Revolution.